Spurs notebook: De Colo ready, willing and able in rare start

Published 11:44 pm, Monday, February 11, 2013

CHICAGO — Nando De Colo had a little less than 24 hours to simmer on the news.

A night after Tony Parker notched 29 points and 11 assists in a victory at Brooklyn, De Colo found out the Spurs would be starting a different Frenchman at point guard in Chicago.

Namely, him.

“I just tried to be ready today,” the 25-year-old rookie said. “I play basketball for this, to get more time on the court and do my best.”

The only other time the Spurs started De Colo — Nov. 29 at Miami — it resulted in a $250,000 fine from the NBA office.

This time, not only did the Spurs escape scrutiny for sitting a star — the team said Parker had a right knee contusion — they won the game, 103-89.

De Colo was hardly Parker, who is an All-Star after all, but he finished with nine points and seven assists next to only two turnovers.

Included in De Colo's highlight reel against the Bulls was a slick behind-the-head pass to a cutting Tiago Splitter for a reverse layup.

“Nando's young,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He's figuring out the league. He's never played against any of these guys. He's trying to figure out what's what. It's kind of like an educational year for him.”

Just a sprain: Already down Parker, All-Star forward Tim Duncan (knee), guard Manu Ginobili (hamstring) and forward Stephen Jackson (personal reasons), the Spurs got a scare when Splitter went down hard after competing for a rebound midway through the first quarter.

Splitter finished the game favoring his left ankle, posting 16 points and five rebounds in 33 minutes. After, he sat with the ankle wrapped in ice, nevertheless confident he'd be able to play Wednesday in Cleveland.

“They took a look, nothing major,” said Splitter, adding he didn't think he needed an X-ray. “Just a sprain.”

Jack out: Jackson left the team following Sunday's win at Brooklyn to deal with a personal matter. His availability for Wednesday's game in Cleveland is uncertain. The team issued no further comment on Jackson's absence, except to say it was not disciplinary.

The Air back then: With Michael Jordan's 50th birthday looming Sunday, memories of the former Bulls great have been heavy in the air in Chicago.

Popovich added one, recalling his first visit to the old Chicago Stadium to face the Bulls as a first-year assistant on Larry Brown's staff.

“I don't think I noticed anything on the court except for Michael,” Popovich remembered of that February 1989 game. “I was just in awe watching him play. I didn't come close to trying to do any kind of job for Larry that night. I just stared at Michael.”